Record Store Day seemed to have been a success in Los Angeles, there were long lines outside stores, formed even before they had opened, there were DJs everywhere and people actually buying records. I personally think it is Record Store Day every day when I go to Amoeba Music, as this store seems always busy, but it probably was a very good day for this Mecca of record collectors.
In association with the David Lynch Foundation, Amoeba had organized a party at Space 15 Twenty for the release of ‘Music That Changes The World’, a box set available on this special day and featuring 34 exclusive tracks by renowned artists.
Proceeds from the box set benefit the David Lynch Foundation, an online charity music label founded by the great filmmaker, which includes a growing number of programs teaching how to release stress,… as Lynch explains:
’Our Foundation was established to ensure that any child in America who wants to learn and practice the Transcendental Meditation program can do so. The TM program is the most thoroughly researched and widely practiced program in the world for developing the full creative potential of the brain and mind, improving health, reducing stress, and improving academic outcomes. We provide scholarships for students to learn the technique and to receive the complete follow-up program of instruction throughout their student years to ensure they receive the maximum benefits. We also provide scholarships for students who want to attend the growing number of highly successful schools, colleges, and universities founded on this Consciousness-Based approach to education.’
It is probably a little too New Age for me, but if it works for some! I am not sure it works for David Lynch, seeing how stressful his last video is, but this would be another story. Since Tom Waits or Iggy Pop – who are featured on the box set – were not available, three other artists came to sing a few songs.
Mezzo-soprano Geeta Novotny, who sings on the record accompanied by Police’s guitarist Andy Summers, sang ‘Ave Maria’ and the famous song ‘Habanera’ of the opera Carmen with a very powerful voice for such a petite woman.
There was also Phil Soussan, a guy who worked with Ozzy Osbourne and Billy Idol, who played a sort of 80s-inspired classic glam rock with his band.
And Ben Lee came to sing a few songs acoustically, just accompanied by a musician on guitar and keyboard.
He played ‘Gamble Everything for Love’, and two songs for his last album ‘Deeper Into Dream' released last October, ‘Lean Into It’, and ‘Pointless Beauty’, a song he said was inspired by Rufus Wainwright!
I don’t know much about him, but after reading he describes his frequent visits to India ‘very powerful and replenishing’, he is into meditation and dream therapy (the subject of his last album), it was totally making sense he was part of Lynch’s project.
He also came back for a super short song inspired by Coldplay’s Chris Martin who has currently been all grumbly, complaining about being famous. ‘But I totally support his recent attempt to smile a lot’ added funny Ben Lee.
You can listen and ‘download for good’ The David Lynch Foundation box set here